With National Signing Day and the 2021 recruiting cycle in the books, it’s time to get to know the next wave of elite high school football recruits.
The class of 2022 is loaded from top to bottom with stars at each position. In order to explore the depths of the class, USA Today High School sports is going position-by-position to spotlight the top-end prospects who are set to take their talents to the college ranks next year.
Let’s meet the top 22 defensive linemen in the class of 2022.
Read more of our 22 in ’22 series: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Offensive Line | Defensive Line
1 Harold Perkins
Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports
High School: Cy Park (Texas)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2.5
Weight: 200 pounds
College: Undecided
2 Shawn Murphy
Photo: Don Callahan, 247Sports
High School: Unity Reed (Va.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215 pounds
College: Undecided
3 Gabe Powers
Photo: 247Sports
High School: Marysville (Ohio)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Ohio State
4 C.J. Hicks
Photo: Mark Porter, 247Sports
High School: Archbishop Alter (Ohio)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 218 pounds
College: Ohio State
5 Jaishawn Barham
Photo: 247Sports
High School: St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 pounds
College: Undecided
6 Jalon Walker
High School: Salisbury (N.C.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Undecided
7 Niuafe Tuihalamaka
Photo: 247Sports
High School: Bishop Alemany (Calif.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-1.5
Weight: 238 pounds
College: Undecided
8 Robert Woodyard
Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports
High School: Williamson (Ala.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 210 pounds
College: Alabama
9 Jaylen Sneed
Photo: 247Sports
High School: Hilton Head (S.C.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 215 pounds
College: Undecided
10 David Bailey
Photo: Greg Biggins, 247Sports
High School: Mater Dei (Calif.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Undecided
11 Kobie McKinzie
Photo: Brian Perroni, 247Sports
High School: Lubbock-Cooper (Texas)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 227 pounds
College: Undecided
12 Daniel Martin
Photo: Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports
High School: Marietta (Ga.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 190 pounds
College: Undecided
13 Wesley Bissainthe
Photo: Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
High School: Miami Central (Fla.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 pounds
College: Undecided
14 Joshua Burnham
Photo: Josh Newkirk, 247Sports
High School: Central (Mich.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215 pounds
College: Undecided
15 Moses Walker
High School: Erasmus Hall (N.Y.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 195 pounds
College: Undecided
16 C.J. Washington
Photo: Rusty Mansell, 247Sports
High School: Cedartown (Ga.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Georgia
17 Jaron Willis
High School: Lee County (Ga.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 220 pounds
College: Undecided
18 Malaki Hamrick
Photo: Don Callahan, 247Sports
High School: Shelby (N.C.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 205 pounds
College: Undecided
19 Devon Jackson
Photo: Michael Bruntz, 247Sports
High School: Burke (Neb.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 pounds
College: Undecided
20 Sebastian Cheeks
Photo: Tom Loy, 247Sports
High School: Evanston (Ill.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210 pounds
College: Undecided
21 Anthony Johnson
Photo via Twitter/@antgeezz
High School: Neumann Goretti (Pa.)
Position: Inside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 230 pounds
College: Rutgers
22 TJ Dudley
Photo: Jason Caldwell, 247Sports
High School: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory (Ala.)
Position: Outside Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210 pounds
College: Undecided
